Clapboard unit for wall coverings



c. M. KINGHORN CLAPBOARD UNIT FOR WALL COVEIRINGS Filed Jan. 8, 1947 2 Sheets-Sheet l UWM UHU il 4--....

INVENTOR Charles M. Klnghorn fill/r.

ATTORNEY Aug. 2, 1949. c. M. KINGHORN CLAPBOARD UNIT FOR WALL COVERINGS 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Jan. 8, 1947 Y lNvENToR Chories M. Kinghorn ATTORNEY Patented Aug. 2, 1949 CLAPBOARD UNIT FOR WALL COVERINGS Charles M. Kinghorn, Montreal, Quebec, Canada, assignor to Cresswell Roll Forming Company, Limited, Montreal, Quebec, Canada, a corporation of Quebec Application January 8, 1947, Serial No. 720,811 2 claims. (C1. 18s-86) l This invention relates to Wall covering or wallconstituting units, such as weatherboards or clapboards, made of formable sheet metal capable of being substituted for such units now usually expected difficulties appear. A major diiiiculty or objection is that if the metal clapboard be shaped like a wooden clapboard, raindrops or sleet falling on the metal clapboard cause noise which might at times reach such severity as to be called a racket. This noise, when long continuedl can cause a significant nervous irritation on the part of occupants of a house that is made of such clapboards so one ofthe objects of this invention is to devise ways and means for minimizing such noise and to make such clapboard as nearly noiseless as possible. When such clapboards are made of a more or less readily formable and cheap metal such as aluminum, there is a tendency for such metal to be dented when a stepladder or other solid implement is pressed against it. Therefore, another object of this invention is to devise ways and means for shaping lthe clapboard so that it normally resists such denting or other localized unsightly deformation. Another object is to devise units that are readily assembled and fastened in place by a novice.

Still another object is to devise means for joining the units together to form a completely water-proof and moisture-proof joint between the assembled units.

Another object is to provide splicing means for abutting clapboard end portions. These objects are attained by providing a horizontal metal clapboard profile which is internally tensioned by resilient deflection when being fastened to a supporting frame Work, and which is so shaped that the upper end interlocks with or engages in a recess formed at the lower end of the preceding clapboard above, and that the recess is formed by a vertical downwardly extending terminal flange portion having perforatlons for fastening to the frame work.

Other objects are attained by providing elongated perforations in the lower terminal portion of the clapboard, the perforations extending parallel to the bottom edge of the clapboard.

According `to one feature the metal clapboard prole has a convex body portion with the lower end thereof protruding outwardly, a horizontal inwardly extending bottom portion terminating in a ver-tical downwardly extending perforated flange orskirt portion.

According to another feature a splice plate is provided to hug the inner face'of the body and horizontal portion of the clapboard profile.

The invention possesses other objects and features of advantage, some of which with the foregoing will be set forth in the following description. In the following description and in the claims, parts will be identified by specific names for convenience, but they are intended to be as generic in their application to similar parts as the art will permit. In the accompanying drawings there has been illustrated the best embodiment of the invention known to me, but such embodiment is'to be regarded as typical only of many possible embodiments, and the invention is notto be limited thereto.

The novel features considered characteristic of my invention are set forth with particularity in the appended claims. The invention itself, h owever, both as to its organization and its method of operation, together with additional objects and advantages thereof, will best be understood from the following description of a specific embodiment when read in connection with the accompanying drawings in which Fig. 1 is a front view of a clapboard assembly with parts broken away to show splice plate and interlocking connection;

Fig. 2 is a vertical section on the line 2-2 of Fig. l through the clapboard assembly outside of a splice plate;

Fig. 3 is a vertical section on the line 3 3 through the clapboard assembly and through a splice plate;

Fig. 4 is a sectional perspective view of a clapboard assembly showing the manner of tensioning ,the clapboards incident to their being fastened upon a supporting framework;

Figs. 5 and 6 are enlarged detail gures showing the interconnection of a pair of assembled clapboards withoutand with tension respectively;

Fig. 'I shows the manner of fastening the skirt portion of a. clapboard.

A respective portion of the metal weatherboard or clapboard assembly showsclapboard strip or unit I0 to abut endwise with a clapboard strip or unit Illa representing in eiect a horizontal continuation of the formed linear clapboard I0. Associated with the clapboard lll in interlocking and overlapping relationship are similar clapboard I l and l2 in the sense that each of the clapboards thus associated with one another has its lower edge portion fastened or nailed to a backing structure I3 while its upper edge portion is retained in an inverted groove formed in and along the lower edge portion of the preceding clapboard above.

The cross-sectional shape or profile of a representative clapboard comprises a substantially vertical body portion I4 presenting in eiect a slightly shallow concave outer contour since that body portion comprises a substantially straight upper portion l5 and a lower portion I6 diverging more markedly although steeply from the vertical and outwardly from the backing structure I3. 'Ihe upper portion I5 in turn may be said to comprise a substantially straight vertical portion I1 appearing to lie against or tangential with respect to the vertical face of the backing structure I3, and a slightly diverging portion I8 terminating in the groove of the clapboard above. The portion' I8 in turn may be said to comprise the diverging portion I9 proper and a vertical straighter upper terminal portion 20 appearing to be substantially parallel to the vertical face of the backing structure I3, the line of demarcation between the two portions I9 and 20 being indicated as at D whereby there is defined a very slight or shallow bend at the upper edge portion of the clapboard. The lower endportion of the clapboaard proille is formed by an 1nwardly extending portion 2| which may be said to be substantially or nearly horizontal although it is shown to have a slight or shallow inclination relative to the horizontal as indicated by the angle A. This substantially horizontal or inward portion 2| has at its inner end a folded portion 22 constituting an inverted vertical groove 23 constituted by the walls 23a and 23h thereof.

The wall 23h of the groove extends downwardly to form a vertical terminal skirt portion 24 extending a distance 25 below the lowest point of the inward .portion 2| and lies fiat against the vertical face of the backing structure I3 to which it is fastened.

'I'he skirt portion 24 has D-shaped horizontally extending elongated apertures 24a which are equidistantly spaced from one another and through which nails 25a may be driven to fasten the skirt portion 24 to the backing structure I3 which for example may be of wood.

The Iupper edge portion of the clapboard I0 is held in piace by being lodged in the lower end grooved portion 26 of a similar associated clapboard 21 which may be mounted upon and-fastened to the backing structure in a manner similar to that of clapboard l0.

The lower end portion of clapboard I0 interengages with the upper edge portion 28 of a third similar clapboard 29 by extending into the groove 23 of clapboard Il), the clapboard 29 otherwise being mounted upon and fastened to the backing structure in a manner similar to that of clapboard I0.

A manner of fastening the lower end skirt portion of such a clapboard to a ybacking structure such as represented by studs, posts or uprights 30, 3| and 32 is shown in Fig. 7. A lower end skirt portion 33 of a clapboard 34 (here fractionally shown) has its middle portion fixed to post 3| by means of a pair of nails 35 and 35 placed in the respective end corners of one of a series of D-shaped and horizontally extending apertures 31. The end portions of this clapboard are shown to be fastened to the respective posts 3l and 32 each by means of a single nail 38 and 33 respectively disposed in the middle of a respective aperture 31. In this way, because of the horizontal disposition and because of the slotlike character of the apertures 31 the clapboard is substantially free to horizontally expand or contract with respect to its fixed middle portion.

In Fig. 1 is further shown a manner of splicing the mutually adjoining ends of the companion clapboards I8 and Ita by means of an inserted splice-plate 48. A somewhat exaggerated space or clearance 4| is shown between the ends oi' these clapboards. The splice-plate 48 is shaped substantially as the clapboard, that is to say in such a manner that it will hug the rear face or contour of the clapboard except for the grooved portion thereof (as shown in Fig. 3). 'I'he spliceplate 48 therefore comprises a concaveiy shaped generally vertical portion 42 and an inwardly extending foot portion 43.

Figs. 4, 5 and 6 illustrate the manner of assembly and xing the clapboards upon a backing structure in such a manner that they will be tensioned against the backing structure and so that the clapboards themselves are subjected to internal stresses due to resilient deformation which render them immune to vibrations and the consequent noise which might be caused by the impinging of rain or such upon the outer face of the clapboards.

According to the perspective view in Fig. 4, one clapboard 44 which is similar to the clapboard il of Fig. 1 is shown in place, that is fastened to a backing structure 45, its top edge being held by a ledge member or flashing 45. its bottom edge being fastened as by nails 41. A second clapboard 48 is shown in the process of being applied when it is still in its untensioned and therefore more strongly curved state, although with its upper edge portion 49 already loosely lodging in the lower end groove 58 of the clapboard 44. This pre liminary condition or positioning of the yet untensioned clapboard 48 is more clearly presented in the enlarged detail of Fig. 5, while the tensioned condition in equally enlarged similar detail view is shown in Fig. 6. In the latter position, also shown in Fig. 2, the upper edge 48 (Fig. 6) is caused to bear against the outer face of the groove 26 in moisture-obstructing relationship due to the tension of the concave portion of the clapboard or weatherboard strip acting through attened portion |1 as a fulcrum.

While thus held position in relation to the clapboard 44 the lower edge portion 5I of clapboard 48 is pressed against the backing structure 45 so that it will assume the more flattened and internally tensioned condition (as indicated in dotand-dash lines) in which condition it closely resembles the previously attached clapboard 44. Again the lower skirt portion 52 of clapboard 48 will then .be held in place by means of nails (not particularly shown) driven through apertures I3. This procedure may be repeated in the course of attaching and fastening successive clapboards by adding them on downwardly one after the other.

This invention offers several features of advantage. Fig. 4, especially in its lower part, illustrates one, namely, the metal weatherboard or clapboard strip 48 has an exposed concave face while presenting a convex face to the building structure 45 or the studding thereof against which the strip is to Ibe secured. The strip 48 of sheet material comprises a main body portion having a longitudinal concavity extending throughout its entire length, which vconcavlty provides said exposed concave face and a back convex face which is presented to the building structure. The body top marginal portion 20 is emplaced in or against 'the building structure, the body curves outwardly away from the wall sufficiently so that the lat-l erally projecting bottom marginal portion 2l (Fig. 2) is out of contact with and is spaced from the building structure a distance far enough to allow the operators hand to remain on that bottom marginal portion until the strip or unit has the edge of the top marginal portion 20 seated in place. Thereafter, when the depending apertured skirt 24 is nailed or otherwise fixed to the building structure I3, as shown in Fig. 2, and as can be seen in Figs. 4 and 6, there is a face-to-face contact between the lbuilding structure and the skirt, and there is tangential contact between the building structure and the convex wall-facing face of the strip, while the corresponding face of the top portion 49 is pressed away from the building structure as a result of such contacts and the flattening of a portion of the longitudinal concavity of the main body of thestrip and the consequent lessened curvature of the strip.

Attention is directed to the fact that the normal degree of curvature of the weatherboard or strip as formed, is significantly lessened and rendered abnormal-indeed, somewhat or partially deformed into providing the flattened section I1 (Fig. 2) that serves as a fulcrum through which the tension on the curved lower section of the strip acts to maintain the top portion 49 (Fig. 6) of the strip forced away from the building structure and against the outer side or wall of the groove in the fold 50 of the bottom portion of the superjacent strip or unit. This arrangement and functioning gives such strength to the strip for resisting indentation that such strips can be applied directly to the Wall studding without any intermediate sheathing or other boards.

Now as to the spliceor joint-plates 40 for use behind joints in the linear strips: They are disposed 'bridgingly on the convex side of abutting edges of two aligned strips. These jointplates 40 are pieces 'of metal or other sheet material having a main body and a bottom extension 43 that extends toward the building structure. These plates are of such a size, as shown in Figs. 1 and 3, that irrespective of its original curved shape, when so positioned and incorporated into the building structure, the upper free" edge of the plate also enters the groove 50 of the fold 26 of the superjacent strip (along with the upper edge of the strips in front of the jointplate 40). Meanwhile, the edge of the lateral extension 43 of the plate bears against the outer side of the fold of the plate-contacting strips I and I0a, and the body of the plate has its upper portion pressed and tensioned against the building structure as a. result of the tensioned and deformed curvature of the plate-contacting strips whereby the joint-plate has forced curvature, as at 42 in Fig. 3, to correspond to the tensioned curvature of the plate-contacting strips and forced pressure between substantially its entire outer surfaceand the inner convex surfaces of the plate-contacting strips as a result of the tensioned curvature and deformed shape of those strips.

These linear formed weatherboard strips or units, while primarily designed for use as weatherboards or clapboards or siding on vertical building structures because tending shadows, can, with equal facility and advantage, be used on roof structures where it is satisfactory to simulate somewhat horizontal shadow lines usually associated with shingle construction.

The curvature of the weatherboard strips has an unexpected effect of reecting noisy sounds so that houses built of such strips are quieter than wooden or brick houses. The heat-reiiective properties of the curved strips also make a house built of them cooler in summer and warmer in winter than a corresponding 'wooden house.

1. As a new article of manufacture, a sheet n metal section for siding, roofing and the like consisting of a main body curved transversely from one side edge of the body to the opposite side edge thereof and presenting a front concave face and an inner convex face, said body being provided at one of its side edges with a contact face por-- tion and having at its opposite side edge a projecting attaching portion extending from the inner face of the main body and provided with a groove, the curvature ofthe main body causing deformation and tensioning of the same and a pressure contact of the contact face portion when the main body is arranged against a fixed structure and the contact face portion and the projecting attaching portions are arranged contiguous to said structure.

2. A weatherboard construction unit for the sides and roof of building structures comprising a linearly extending metal strip composed of a main body curved transversely from one side to the other and presenting an outer concave faceand an inner convex face, said body being provided at one side with a contact face portion and having at the opposite side an attaching portion projecting from the inner face of the body and extending longitudinally thereof and having a longitudinal groove', the curvature of the main rbody causing defamation, tensioning and stiftening of the same and a pressure contact of the contact face portion when the main body is arranged against a building structure and the contact face portion and the attaching portion are brought closely adjacent said structure.

- S M. KINGIjIORN.

l REFERENCES CITED Thefollowing references are of record in the le of this patent:

creat Britain 1887 they cast horizontally ex- 

